[OT]: It's the week-end, let's have some fun ...
- Thread starter FUD
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OK, here it is.
Use a standard deck, fairly new, still slick. It's best to perform this while you and your mark are standing with a table between you; it will keep him from being able to see the bottom of the deck when you shuffle.
Fan the deck and have your mark pick a card and remember it. Without being obvious about it, count five cards face down from the bottom of the deck into one hand, and have them replace the chosen card face down on top of these five, which then go onto the bottom of the deck. (If you do this quickly and authoritatively, they may not notice that you've positioned the card in a particular spot in the deck. If they do notice and call attention to it, just proceed, it doesn't matter if they see this or not.)
The False Shuffle
This is a move in which you allow the first 6 to 10 cards of the bottom half of the deck (remember, the chosen card is 6th from the bottom) hit the table before any cards from the other side of the pack drop into the shuffle. Practice this a little bit, and you'll be able to get it smooth so that it only looks like one or two cards have fallen before you start feeding in the other side.
Do this two or three times, it will look like the deck is thoroughly shuffled. In reality, the bottom six cards have not changed position at all since your mark returned the chosen card to the deck.
The Presentation
Now, hold the deck in one hand, face down, so that your fingertips curl slightly over the edge to the point where you can place them along the edge of the bottom card of the pack. Turn the pack face up to your mark, and ask them if this is their card. After they say no, you turn the pack back down and place card #1 face down on the table, and then slide card #2 off the bottom of the deck and place it face down on top of the rest of the pack in your hand. Repeat this again, placing card #3 on the table and card #4 on top of the pack. Now, the next card you show them will be #5, with the chosen card under it. Show them #5 and ask if it's their card.
The Trick-the "Slide"
After they say no, again turn the deck face down. Using the tips of your last 3 fingers, slide card #5 back toward you by about 1/2" while keeping your "trigger" finger stationary along the side of the deck. This will leave the top of card #6, the chosen card, exposed on the bottom of the deck. You carefully slide this one off and place it face down on the table, remembering its position on the table, and then take card #5 off the bottom of the deck and place it onto the top of the deck. Now you repeat the procedure without the slide one more time, so that you now have 4 cards face down on the table. So far, the mark has not seen his card, and is convinced that none of the 4 on the table are the chosen one.
Put the deck aside and ask if they're sure they didn't see their card. After their reply, tell them that you'll let them look once more. Pick up the cards, face down, in the reverse order they were laid down. This will position the chosen card as second down from the top, or third up from the bottom. Hold these four as you did the pack, face down, same hold technique. Show the bottom card, and ask if it's the card. Turn the deck down again and pull this card off the bottom, placing it face down on the table. (Chosen card is now between the other two remaining cards.) Now show them the next card, and when they say it's not their card, do the slide and pull out the chosen card from its middle position and place it face down on the table. (Remember its position!) Important Step Now, take one card in each hand, and hold them up so the mark can see them while waving them around, and ask if either card is the one. After they say no, place face down beside the others.
(It's important to show both cards at once and have them moving while doing it because if you show the cards one at a time at this point, the mark may realize that he's looking at the same card a second time.)
The Finish (2 options)
1)Ask what the chosen card is, and after they tell you, turn it over. They fall on the floor.
2)Say, "Well, it's not this one, or this one, or this one," as you turn over each of the non-chosen cards. When only one card is left face down, you say, "It must be this one. What card did you pick?" They tell you, and then you turn over the last card. They fall on the floor. (This is my prefered finish.)
Tips
It doesn't really matter which hand you use to hold the deck, weak or strong. I'm right handed, but I hold the deck in my left hand while doing the trick. The slide manipulation is easy to do with but a little practice with either hand, so practice it a little and see which feels more comfortable.
When you practice the slide, experiment a little with how to position the deck in your hand so that the slide works well and quickly. Remember to keep you top finger (pointer) stationary while the other fingertips move. If held correctly, no one will be able to see the bottom card slide, as the heel of the hand and the wrist will obscure the view.
As with shooting, the key here is practice, practice, practice, 'till you get it smooth and sure. From the time I was first taught this trick until the time I was ready to perform it successfully was about 10 minutes. It's not hard, but will astound anyone, even if they do catch the card placement or the false shuffle. They'll still be convinced they didn't see their card among the 4 left on the table, and when you turn it up, they'll be floored.
"Patter" is the illusionist's term for the prepared "speech" one gives while performing a trick. It serves the purpose of misdirecting the mark's attention by keeping their mind occupied with what you're saying. Use your own natural style. If you are not normally a talkative type, you may be best served by getting the motions so smooth and sure that you can perform the trick with minimal patter. The best illusionists can perform masterful tricks without uttering a word.
I was never that good, and I'm kind of a talkative type (as if you haven't guessed.
) I've found that people will catch the false shuffle, and comment on it; what's worked best for me is to just quickly gloss over it, talking fast and saying something to the effect of, "Well, you'll get a chance to see the cards, so don't worry about it."
Good luck, and happy presitidigitation!
------------------
Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center
[This message has been edited by 45King (edited September 09, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by 45King (edited September 09, 2000).]
Use a standard deck, fairly new, still slick. It's best to perform this while you and your mark are standing with a table between you; it will keep him from being able to see the bottom of the deck when you shuffle.
Fan the deck and have your mark pick a card and remember it. Without being obvious about it, count five cards face down from the bottom of the deck into one hand, and have them replace the chosen card face down on top of these five, which then go onto the bottom of the deck. (If you do this quickly and authoritatively, they may not notice that you've positioned the card in a particular spot in the deck. If they do notice and call attention to it, just proceed, it doesn't matter if they see this or not.)
The False Shuffle
This is a move in which you allow the first 6 to 10 cards of the bottom half of the deck (remember, the chosen card is 6th from the bottom) hit the table before any cards from the other side of the pack drop into the shuffle. Practice this a little bit, and you'll be able to get it smooth so that it only looks like one or two cards have fallen before you start feeding in the other side.
Do this two or three times, it will look like the deck is thoroughly shuffled. In reality, the bottom six cards have not changed position at all since your mark returned the chosen card to the deck.
The Presentation
Now, hold the deck in one hand, face down, so that your fingertips curl slightly over the edge to the point where you can place them along the edge of the bottom card of the pack. Turn the pack face up to your mark, and ask them if this is their card. After they say no, you turn the pack back down and place card #1 face down on the table, and then slide card #2 off the bottom of the deck and place it face down on top of the rest of the pack in your hand. Repeat this again, placing card #3 on the table and card #4 on top of the pack. Now, the next card you show them will be #5, with the chosen card under it. Show them #5 and ask if it's their card.
The Trick-the "Slide"
After they say no, again turn the deck face down. Using the tips of your last 3 fingers, slide card #5 back toward you by about 1/2" while keeping your "trigger" finger stationary along the side of the deck. This will leave the top of card #6, the chosen card, exposed on the bottom of the deck. You carefully slide this one off and place it face down on the table, remembering its position on the table, and then take card #5 off the bottom of the deck and place it onto the top of the deck. Now you repeat the procedure without the slide one more time, so that you now have 4 cards face down on the table. So far, the mark has not seen his card, and is convinced that none of the 4 on the table are the chosen one.
Put the deck aside and ask if they're sure they didn't see their card. After their reply, tell them that you'll let them look once more. Pick up the cards, face down, in the reverse order they were laid down. This will position the chosen card as second down from the top, or third up from the bottom. Hold these four as you did the pack, face down, same hold technique. Show the bottom card, and ask if it's the card. Turn the deck down again and pull this card off the bottom, placing it face down on the table. (Chosen card is now between the other two remaining cards.) Now show them the next card, and when they say it's not their card, do the slide and pull out the chosen card from its middle position and place it face down on the table. (Remember its position!) Important Step Now, take one card in each hand, and hold them up so the mark can see them while waving them around, and ask if either card is the one. After they say no, place face down beside the others.
(It's important to show both cards at once and have them moving while doing it because if you show the cards one at a time at this point, the mark may realize that he's looking at the same card a second time.)
The Finish (2 options)
1)Ask what the chosen card is, and after they tell you, turn it over. They fall on the floor.
2)Say, "Well, it's not this one, or this one, or this one," as you turn over each of the non-chosen cards. When only one card is left face down, you say, "It must be this one. What card did you pick?" They tell you, and then you turn over the last card. They fall on the floor. (This is my prefered finish.)
Tips
It doesn't really matter which hand you use to hold the deck, weak or strong. I'm right handed, but I hold the deck in my left hand while doing the trick. The slide manipulation is easy to do with but a little practice with either hand, so practice it a little and see which feels more comfortable.
When you practice the slide, experiment a little with how to position the deck in your hand so that the slide works well and quickly. Remember to keep you top finger (pointer) stationary while the other fingertips move. If held correctly, no one will be able to see the bottom card slide, as the heel of the hand and the wrist will obscure the view.
As with shooting, the key here is practice, practice, practice, 'till you get it smooth and sure. From the time I was first taught this trick until the time I was ready to perform it successfully was about 10 minutes. It's not hard, but will astound anyone, even if they do catch the card placement or the false shuffle. They'll still be convinced they didn't see their card among the 4 left on the table, and when you turn it up, they'll be floored.
"Patter" is the illusionist's term for the prepared "speech" one gives while performing a trick. It serves the purpose of misdirecting the mark's attention by keeping their mind occupied with what you're saying. Use your own natural style. If you are not normally a talkative type, you may be best served by getting the motions so smooth and sure that you can perform the trick with minimal patter. The best illusionists can perform masterful tricks without uttering a word.
I was never that good, and I'm kind of a talkative type (as if you haven't guessed.
) I've found that people will catch the false shuffle, and comment on it; what's worked best for me is to just quickly gloss over it, talking fast and saying something to the effect of, "Well, you'll get a chance to see the cards, so don't worry about it." Good luck, and happy presitidigitation!
------------------
Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center
[This message has been edited by 45King (edited September 09, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by 45King (edited September 09, 2000).]